


Dance with the Devil

by Selvaria



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Fluff, M/M, Moral Dilemmas, Non-Canon Relationship, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, Reader-Insert, Romance, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:06:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29919384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selvaria/pseuds/Selvaria
Summary: It was but a chance encounter--an act of kindness amidst a cold, dark city--and yet in that moment, unbeknownst to you, your entire world was about to change.
Relationships: Jason Todd & Reader, Jason Todd/Reader
Kudos: 11





	Dance with the Devil

**Author's Note:**

> Another of my older stories from years ago. It’s a re-imagined version of one of my first Batman fics (that I don’t think I’ll upload), as well as an alternate universe of the world I created in my story: ‘Red and Blue’. A world where the main character is not a police officer, nor is he a Gotham native. His story will play out much differently than his counterpart.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the story as it goes along.
> 
> **== DO NOT COPY OR REUPLOAD MY WORK ANYWHERE! ==  
> **  
>  ============ THANK YOU! ============  
> 

* * *

Never in your wildest dreams did you ever imagine you’d voluntarily get anywhere near a stranger in a dark alley. Especially not one that was bleeding out on the cold concrete beneath them. Yet here you were, a few feet outside of your apartment, at his side and worried about his wellbeing. Yes, he had guns strapped to his hips; an odd symbol across his chest; and a shattered helmet whose remains were still clinging to his face, but on that face, what was bare before you was the image of a young man who’d bitten off more than he could chew. He _needed help_ , and you were the only help present at the time.

A more protective instinct in you insisted the cops weren’t the answer, nor was the hospital, no matter how badly his situation looked. Something about his attire made it seem like a bad decision. You’ve heard stories of super heroes and vigilantes, but being a fresh face in Gotham, you didn’t have a clue about what any of the ones in this city actually looked like. Still, if that red bat across his chest was anything to go by then the man bleeding before you was associated with the vigilante hero known as Batman.

With that knowledge and your own guilty conscious as more than enough reason to take a chance on helping him, you quickly drag him into your apartment building. Thankfully the building was devoid of residents for the most part, and those who did live there didn’t stick their nose in anyone else’s business. The hallways were always barren at this late hour, so the chances of being caught rescuing a vigilante were nil.

_I suppose I can thank that weirdo for this luck…_

It felt utterly ironic how Joker’s recent rampage in this city had frightened away most of the other tenants of the building, providing you with the privacy you needed to assist one of his enemies. You carefully placed the injured man on the couch and began gently searching for the origins of his bleeding while removing his jacket. 

“You’ll have to forgive me for this,” you apologize as you take off his helmet and pull out a knife from your pocket that had been there since the first day you entered the city. Some form of protection was necessary in Gotham, and this had been your only option while out on the streets. Using it to cut away his shirt from the gash across his abdomen, you peel away the soiled fabric and begin the delicate procedure of cleaning and stitching the wound.

_I guess mom forcing me to learn basic first aid finally came in handy after all._

Chuckling to yourself at the memory of her stern lectures, you finish cleaning up the mess that had been made in your endeavors. There was nothing you’d be able to do about the blood on the couch, but the important thing was the man seemed he’d survive the ordeal. He was still unconscious, his breathing was a bit strained, but his pulse felt close to what one would deem normal. You decided you’d let him sleep it off, leaving a glass of water and pain medicine on the coffee table for him if he wakes up while you’re in the shower. As much as you hated to leave a stranger out of sight in your own home, you didn’t think he’d be waking up anytime soon.

The joke was on you however, from the moment you stepped back into the living room, now dressed entirely in your nightclothes. A gun was pressed against your forehead, the cold steel accompanied by angry eyes that bore a hole into you, sending chills down your spine. You suddenly regretted leaving that knife on your dresser, and his guns on the table. “Um, I’m not sure this is how you’re supposed to say _thank you_ to someone who just saved you,” you say sarcastically, attempting to deflect his ire with humor. It was reflexive, and you hoped that habit wouldn’t come back to bite you in the ass.

_Way to go, dumbass. Now he really is gonna shoot you._

“Who the fuck are you and where am I?” The man grit out, pressing the gun harder against your head.

_Right. He may be a vigilante, but he’s not a friendly one apparently._

“I found you bleeding to death in an alley right outside my building. _I live here_ ,” you state as you point to the floor to emphasize the fact that he’s threatening you in your own home. “I could’ve just left your sorry ass there, but I would’ve felt bad if you’d died.”

The man laughed bitterly at what you’d said. “Do you even know who the hell I am?”

You stared at him for a brief moment, certain that you probably _should_ know seeing as this city was full of so many dangerous people, but you didn’t have a damn clue. Still, being the smartass you naturally were, you’d dared to test the waters further. “Should I?”

A smirk crossed his face and he lowered his gun. “You new here or something?”

It was an honest question. One you felt you should give an honest answer. “Pretty much. Just moved in about a month ago. Not really familiar with all the,” you paused as you gestured to his outfit. “ _Hero crap_.”

An awkward smile formed on his lips as he turned away from you, moving towards the living room window. “I’m no hero.”

His words left you feeling confused. How could he not be a hero when he wore a symbol resembling a bat. The same type of symbol Gotham’s greatest hero donned each night. Watching him pull the window open snapped you out of your momentary daze. “H-hey! Wait a minute!”

He stops and turns his head back toward you, a curious look in his eyes, but he doesn’t say a word.

“If you go out that window you’re just going to reopen your wound. I’m not a fucking doctor for chirstsake. It’s a patch job at best. Just…just rest on the couch or something. You don’t have to--”

“It’s none of your concern.” His words were cold and uncaring, as if he wasn’t even worried about his own wellbeing.

He moves to climb out the window, but you grab onto him despite your better judgment. “Like hell it isn’t! I went through all that trouble to save you! I’m not about to let you kill yourself from _stupidity_.”

In the next instant, you find yourself slammed to the floor, pinned down by the surprisingly powerful stranger above you. He was well built for sure, but you had thought the blood loss would’ve left him in a weakened state. You were at a severe disadvantage, his body weight crushing you against the floorboards, and his hand firmly clenched around your neck. “Why do you care so much about someone you don’t even know?”

Dumbfounded by his question, you simply stared at him. Was he so against a random stranger helping him out? Was it his ego, or perhaps a lack of trust? You could certainly understand the feeling of danger in such a situation because that same feeling had tried to stop you from saving him, but you chose to forge ahead despite that fear. And if he’s as reckless as he seems, you needed to get through to him. “What about _you_?” You reply sternly. “I doubt that wound came from some random gang fight.” You feel his fingers tighten around your throat, but you continue on regardless. “You were risking your life for something too, weren’t you? Or _someone_? Anyone wearing that symbol wouldn’t get hurt for no good reason.”

He follows your eyes to the red bat symbol adorning what remains of his shirt. The tension around your neck fades and he stands up, refusing to answer. He stares at the window again as if he’s contemplating his options.

You slowly get up from the floor and keep your distance, watching him for some sign of what he’s thinking. Sighing, you scratch your head and offer a compromise. “Look, this place is fairly safe…ish. No one bothers anyone here, and _I_ won’t bother you. You can crash here for the night, or day, whatever you need. I won’t tell anyone you’re here. Just don’t go rushing out there like a dumbass and getting yourself nearly killed, again.”

He quickly looked to you, his gaze piercing yours, unsettlingly your soul.

_Was it something I said?_

Time seemed to freeze while he studied you in silence. You’re not sure how many minutes passed before he finally said the words “Red Hood.”

“Huh?” You stared at him puzzled and he just laughs at you.

“ _My name_. It’s Red Hood,” he repeated as he closed the window and made his way back to the couch. “You really don’t know anything about me, do you?”

Shaking your head, you walk over to kneel next to him and check on his wound. “Nope. Not a damn thing, but now I know you’re very touchy when it comes to strangers in strange places. We’re not so different in that regard.” You reply with a wry smile, making sure his bandages are secure. He doesn’t make a move to stop you and you find relief in just the little bit of trust he’s now displaying.

“Good. The less you know, the better off you’ll be.” You look up at him to find him staring down at you with those oceanic eyes that seem to pull you in. “I’m a very dangerous person to associate with.”

You smile at him again and gently press against his shoulder until his back is resting against the couch. “I’ll be the judge of that. In the meantime, get some rest. Vigilantes are welcome in my home, so long as they don’t wreck it.”

You grab a blanket out of the storage closet and drop it into his lap, waving a goodnight to him to leave him be, hoping and praying that he won’t be dumb enough to try going out the window again once you’re asleep. Normally it would be difficult to rest with a stranger in your home, but after pulling an extended shift to help out your boss, you had already been exhausted before even running into this mysterious man. Getting sleep shouldn’t be that hard regardless of his presence.

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is short because it is merely an introduction to the story, and for once in my life I’d like to keep a chapter short. xD
> 
> It will be updated sporadically due to the fact that I am working on many things at once while trying (and failing) to focus on just one at a time. =_=; Too many stories, too little time… *sigh*
> 
> And yes, I named this chapter 'Stranger Danger' because it made me laugh and it totally fits with the context. lol If you've read my story Is This Love?, you should know by now that I have a sense of humor (*points to chapter 3* xD) and sometimes I let it bleed into naming my chapters/stories.


End file.
